Almost e\-eryone had a childhood tuken that meant the world Lu ihcm. \ Vhcthcr that token was a teddy hear, a baby doll or a fuzz) blanket, it was usually something special for the child LOwhom it belonged - something that ga\·c them security. It provided a feeling ofsafety and assurance Lhat the dark was not really that scary and things were going to be OK. The men and \\'Omen of Knights and Pi Theta Phi (PTP1 social clubs understood this concept when they took a break from club week activities to help Searcy's Child Salcty Center in fall 2016. The Child Safety Ccmer \\'as started to prO\·ide care for child abuse \·ictims from \\'hite, Cleburne, Independence, Stone,Jackson. \\'oodruff and lzard coumies in 2008. Since then, each child that came into the Child Safety Ccmcr ,,·as gi,·en a Fleece blanket to use while they were being treated, and later, to take home with them. Knight. and PTP cut and knotted Fleece blankets for the Child Safety Center to give out to children who came into their facility. Junior Bridgette Price, PTP's service director, helped coordinate the scn·icc project. The e\·ent was held on \\'ednesday, ~O\'. 2, in the Claud Roger. Lee Building on campus. Price said that for one per on to make one blanket it normally took 30 minute. , but the memhers of Knights and PTP were able to make 30 blankets total in unc hour. "It meant a lot to provide the comfort and lo\·c that these kids receive when the Child Safetv Center helps them with the abuse they've encountered," Price said. "lt was really encouraging seeing our members having fun and relaxing while making such a diffe rence.'· According to Price, there ,,verc around 80 students who volunteered to help cut and tic the Fleece blan kets together. Senior Knights member H ayden\ \'agner said that the project was a meaningful experience for him. ·'I think the blankets could mean the world to the kids [who·Jget them," \ \'agner said. "I think some will hold onto them and think of them as a sense ofsecurity.'' 'enior PTP \'ice President ~IadclineJones said it was encouraging to be able to watch her peers be invoked in such a helpful ervicc project. She said that for students it could be easy to forget that there were abu ed and neglected children right outside of campus, but th is sen ·icc project ,rn. a good reminder of how students could take part in encouraging those victims. " I was really thankful to be im·oh·ed with this service project because there is no reason ,,·hy the social club platform shouldn't be used lo bcuer the community," J ones .aid. "Plus, it's a bonus to have social clubs irncrmingle... Security, safety, assurance: words that described a child's token, but words LhaL were particularly important to the adolescents at the Child Safety Center. While club week could often be a busy and stressful week, this was a time in which Knights and PTP .10\,ved clown to focus on helping the helpless, and in return, helping themsch-e . enior Lindsey Luter, another PTP vice president, said she ,,·as joyful to participate in and watch both clubs work on the scn·ice project. She said the project may not haYc seemed significanL to those participating, bui for the children who rcce1,-cd the blankets it was a symbol of security in a Yulncrablc time. "lt wasn't huge or life-changing," Lurer said. " \\'r didn't write a huge check or build a house, but my hope and prayer is that there will be children ,,·hose bad days will be made a little beucr and that they will feel ,,-rapped in comfort and lo\'C.'' M en's social club Knights and women's social club Pi Th eta Phi gather to make fl eece blankets for the Child Safety Center in Searcy, Arkansas, during club week on Wedn esday, Nov. 2. The student volunteers made a total of 30 blankets. I Photo courtesy of Nora Johnson Fmhmen !ls/tie)' Reinert a11d ,\'ico/e Swann prepare the fleece blankets to be knolled in the Claud Rogm Lee Building 011 ll'ednesda)', .You. 2. Each blanket made was giten lo a child al the Child Safe(r Center in Lil/le Rock, Arkansas. I Photo cour/es)' of .Vora Johnson
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